Past devices for dispensing condiments such as salt, pepper, spices and sugar have relied on shaker containers that require physically picking up and turning over a canister containing the condiment. These canister type shakers have numerous problems such as the lack of dispensing controlled amounts of the condiments, and the mess that may result from dispensing too much at one time. Both the commercial and home market have relied on these canisters.
Commercially, the most prevalent method of dispensing condiments in restaurants, and fast-food shops is utilizing packet paper containers. This technique can be both expensive in long term costs and environmentally wasteful since the used paper type packets must be thrown out. For example, 1,000 pounds of packet sugar is typically used by many stores such as fast-food restaurants in a given year. At $0.75 per pound, this translates into a cost of $750.00 per year. The industry average from pilfering and waste is approximately 25% of this total or $187 per year. From these numbers a restaurant supplying 1,000 pounds of sugar to their clients can cost approximately $937 per year. However, the base cost of bulk sugar at approximately $0.25 per pound for a yearly need of 1,000 pounds of sugar translates into a cost of only $250.00. From these numbers, the current distribution of sugar to restaurants adds almost $700 for every 1,000 pounds of sugar each year using paper packets.
Thus, the need exists for an inexpensive and efficient method for supplying condiments in both commercial business settings and in the home.